Action is needed to combat Derbyshire’s toxic air

Environmental campaigners claim parts of Derbyshire are likely to have toxic air for years to come if the Government doesn’t act quickly.

Friends of the Earth (FOE) states the air in Bolsover is likely to be toxic until 2019, while the air in Derby will be toxic until 2023.

The figures have been brought to light after FOE carried out analysis of the Government’s new air pollution modelling.

The charity is now calling for properly funded, charging Clean Air Zones (CAZs) to be introduced by the end of 2018, covering all places where air is otherwise predicted to be at illegal levels in 2019 and beyond.

This would mean 58 local authorities should be required and funded to introduce, by the end of 2018, CAZs to restrict the worst polluting vehicles from areas with illegal air pollution.

FOE claims there are more than 2,000 early deaths due to air pollution in the East Midlands every year.

Indeed Public Health England (PHE) attributed 402 early deaths to air pollution across Derbyshire alone in 2010.

Oliver Hayes, FOE campaigner, said: “Shockingly, air pollution is predicted to continue damaging people’s lungs for many years to come. People from Derby would be breathing toxic air for the next six years without further action.

“The Government must do far more to protect the public’s lungs from this pollution, including urgently introducing Clean Air Zones by the end of 2018 for everywhere which would otherwise have illegally dirty air.”